A police chase involving a stolen Dodge Challenger ended in a violent crash on August 11, 2024, leaving a 34-year-old Detroit man with life-altering injuries.
Allen Tingle spoke to us and shared how his life has changed since that day.
Allen was a rear passenger in a white pickup truck traveling through the intersection of Moross and Kelly when it was struck by an Eastpointe police cruiser engaged in a high-speed pursuit. Tingle, who was heading home after being in downtown, did not initially realize it was a police chase.
“I saw two cars speeding—one flew by, and then the police car crashed right into us,” Tingle recalled. He explained that he and the driver had just begun to turn after the light turned green when the police cruiser slammed into their vehicle.
The impact left Tingle unconscious. He says he was resuscitated by EMS in the ambulance and transported to St. John’s Hospital. His injuries include brain stem damage, back fractures, a torn rotator cuff, a herniated shoulder, muscle strains in his neck, lumbar pain, and facial indentations. The crash also severely aggravated a rare brain condition, causing it to triple in size after the accident.
Tingle has since filed a lawsuit against the City of Eastpointe, seeking damages for negligence and reckless driving during the pursuit. The complaint, filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, accuses the city of failing to safely conduct the pursuit and alleges gross negligence in its handling of the chase.
According to the complaint, the police officer disregarded a red traffic signal and drove in a reckless manner, slamming into Tingle’s vehicle without warning.
Since the accident, Tingle has been unable to work.
“I’m trying to get back on my feet, but it’s hard. I just want accountability for what happened to me,” Tingle said.
We reached out for comment, and Eastpointe Police directed us to a law firm representing the city, but the firm declined to provide any statement.
